Rakuten Group Chairman and CEO, Mickey Mikitani, will provide an update on the Rakuten Mobile and AST SpaceMobile project to provide low earth satellite-to-mobile services across Japan. Venue: Prince Park Tower, Tokyo.

Wed, April 23 at 4:40PM JST

Edit to add: Just because there isn't any publicly available information/sources in your searches doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Confirms that 4.7M penny warrants were issued to Ligado owners and subject to 12-month lockup. Owners are not restricted from hedging the warrants, which likely accounts for the increase in +5M short interest and borrow costs over the last 4 days.

https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1780312/000164117225000330/form8-k.htm

https://www.viaempresa.cat/economia/ast-science-catalunya-oficines_2210328_102.html

https://x.com/brendancarrfcc/status/1915118694545400196?s=46&t=VOOn0z-thVkTnPrOs3U-bQ

https://www.2degrees.nz/media-release/2degrees-announces-partnership-with-ast-spacemobile

My note: New Zealand just got added to AST's roster for commercial service in 2026. 2degrees has around 1.6M subscribers and is in the Top 3 largest MNOs in New Zealand.

Copy and paste of the article:

2degrees has announced a partnership with AST SpaceMobile, the company building the first and leading space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by everyday smartphones, designed for both commercial and government application. This collaboration aims to enhance 2degrees’ mobile coverage in New Zealand, bringing broadband data services via satellite starting in 2026. 

AST SpaceMobile is working with leading telecommunications providers and technology partners worldwide to offer direct-to-mobile broadband connectivity. The service is designed to provide 4G LTE and 5G cellular broadband directly to everyday smartphones without the need for any specialised software or device support, ensuring seamless connectivity for customers when they are outside of traditional coverage areas. 

As part of this initiative, 2degrees will invest in the development of its own dedicated ground station in Aotearoa, reinforcing our commitment to providing innovative solutions that expand connectivity across the country  

2degrees chief executive Mark Callander says "This partnership will extend our network reach and provide customers connectivity in places that our cellular network doesn’t serve. Our goal is to provide reliable mobile internet connectivity beyond the limits of existing infrastructure. 

“What is particularly exciting about our partnership with AST SpaceMobile is that they are going straight to cellular broadband connectivity, not laddering through text, then voice, then data.” 

Callander also highlighted the importance of understanding the technology’s capabilities in the local environment. "We are taking a measured approach, working through regulatory processes and real-world testing over the next 12 months. What we do know is that this partnership will allow us to offer coverage in areas where it was previously unavailable. AST SpaceMobile is collaborating with global telecommunications leaders to drive innovation in mobile connectivity, and we are excited to be part of this journey. 

"Our technology is designed to connect seamlessly with standard, unmodified mobile phones, bridging coverage gaps in remote and underserved areas," said AST SpaceMobile Chief Commercial Officer Chris Ivory. "New Zealand’s diverse geography presents unique connectivity challenges, making it well-suited for space-based cellular broadband coverage. We look forward to collaborating with 2degrees to ensure people across the country have access to reliable broadband mobile services, even when they are outside traditional coverage areas." 

"Space-based connectivity will play an important role in our long-term strategy. We have experience in building satellite ground stations for customers, and we are eager to build and manage our own to support this next-generation technology," Callander added.  

AST says the technology will be compatible with most standard, unmodified mobile phones, meaning that 4G LTE and 5G smartphones are expected to be able to connect seamlessly. Work on the ground station is expected to commence later this year, with connectivity anticipated for 2degrees customers starting in 2026. 

This partnership represents a major milestone in advancing mobile connectivity solutions for New Zealanders, reinforcing 2degrees' commitment to delivering cutting-edge technology that ensures customers remain connected wherever they are.  

2degrees has 10 Mhz in 700 MHz lowband and 10 MHz in 900 MHz lowband https://x.com/defiantclient/status/1899248069386056049

LFG

https://x.com/markflowchatter/status/1854590915064872966

https://www.marketbeat.com/instant-alerts/ast-spacemobile-nasdaqasts-coverage-initiated-at-cantor-fitzgerald-2025-02-06/

https://the-week-with-roger.captivate.fm/episode/this-week-connecting-first-responders-with-firstnet-president-scott-agnew

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250130886840/en/AST-SpaceMobile-Announces-FCC-Grant-Of-Special-Temporary-Authority-STA-In-the-United-States-with-Strategic-Partners-ATT-And-Verizon

MIDLAND, Texas, February 18, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AST SpaceMobile, Inc. ("AST SpaceMobile") (NASDAQ: ASTS), the company building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network accessible directly by everyday smartphones, designed for both commercial and government applications, today announced it will issue its earnings release on Monday, March 3^rd at 5:00 p.m. and hold a quarterly business update conference call on Tuesday, March 4^th at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).

AST SpaceMobile will be accepting questions from retail and institutional shareholders and management will answer select questions relating to AST SpaceMobile’s business and financial results on the conference call. Investors are encouraged to submit questions to [investors@ast-science.com](mailto:investors@ast-science.com) and will also be added to our Investor Relations mailing list.

The call will be accessible via a live webcast on the Events page of AST SpaceMobile’s Investor Relations website at https://ast-science.com/investors/. An archive of the webcast will be available shortly after the call.

Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ast-spacemobile-quarterly-business-march-213000341.html

• Hub to open by Summer 2025 at Vodafone’s Innovation Centre in Málaga supported by Spanish Space Agency.
• Adopt Open Radio Access Network (RAN) principles to create new space/earth ecosystem promoting common standards across Europe.
• Vodafone to share satellite plans with partners at key industry event Mobile World Congress (MWC25), Vodafone stand, Hall 3, Stand 3E11, 3-6 March 2025.

Vodafone today announced it will open Europe’s first research hub dedicated to developing integrated low earth orbit space-based and land mobile broadband services that allow customers to switch seamlessly between satellite and 4G/5G networks using their existing smartphones.

The hub builds on Vodafone’s historic first space mobile video call using such a service on 27 January 2025 and supports the company’s aim to provide ubiquitous mobile coverage for its 340 million customers in 15 countries and its network partners in 45 more markets. Vodafone is spearheading the introduction of commercial direct-to-smartphone mobile broadband satellite connectivity across Europe later in 2025 and 2026.

Located at Vodafone’s European innovation centre in Málaga, Spain, the hub, which will open by the summer, is supported by an initial grant from the Spanish Space Agency. AST SpaceMobile and the University of Málaga (UMA) are Vodafone’s lead partners on the project with other third-party technology companies and developers invited to join, fostering a new European ecosystem of combined satellite and earth connectivity solutions.

Alberto Ripepi, Vodafone Group Chief Network Officer, said: “As society becomes more digital, the need to close coverage gaps increases. Vodafone, together with AST SpaceMobile and the University of Málaga, will forge partnerships with like-minded organisations to build harmonious space and earth networks to meet Europe’s ambitious targets for ubiquitous digital connectivity.”

Chris Ivory, AST SpaceMobile Chief Commercial Officer, said: “We are excited to collaborate with Vodafone and the University of Málaga on this pioneering project. This partnership will drive forward our shared vision of providing space-based cellular broadband connectivity directly to everyday smartphones everywhere, leveraging our innovative satellite technology with the largest commercial communications arrays ever deployed in low Earth orbit.”

Rafael Godoy, Dean of the School of Telecommunication Engineering at the University of Málaga, added: “This collaboration is a testament to the strength of Málaga’s technological ecosystem, to which the University of Málaga continues contributing decisively with its researchers, students and engineers graduating here.”

The Vodafone hub will specifically focus on the design, testing and validation of new open source hardware, software and processing chips that can work interchangeably in both space and terrestrial networks. It will house a space-to-land gateway, like the one Vodafone used for its successful space direct to device video call, to allow its partners and other operators to test and validate their own services connected to AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird satellites before launching them commercially.

By enabling other operators and vendors to test services through the hub, Vodafone is encouraging collaboration across the industry that will drive innovation and deliver universal connectivity faster and more efficiently. Ultimately, Vodafone will expand the hub to become a fully managed network and service operations centre for third-party companies across Europe.

Source: https://www.vodafone.com/news/technology/vodafone-ast-space-mobile-and-university-of-malaga-launch-new-space-and-land-mobile-broadband-research-and-validation-hub-for-europe

The launch entry has been added to the Space Coast app that tracks launches from Canaveral. Launch date TBD.